Graphic designer apprenticeships

Computing, technology and digital | Creative and media

Graphic designer apprenticeships - where to start

You can get into this job through

a university course

a college course

an apprenticeship

University

You could take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in graphic design, art and design or illustration. You'll usually need:

a foundation diploma in art and design
1 or 2 A-Levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
2 to 3 A-Levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

You could take a college course, like a Level 3 Diploma in Graphic Design or Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Art and Design, and use this to join a company as a design assistant.

You may need 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a Level 3 course. You'll need 1 or 2 A-Levels, a Level 3 diploma or relevant experience for a Level 4 or 5 course.

Apprenticeship

You could start by doing a Level 3 apprenticeship in design, specialising in graphics. You'll usually need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths. There's a lot of competition for graphic design work. You'll need a portfolio that shows your creative ideas, skills and work experience to help you get started.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Chartered Society of Designers and the International Society of Typographical Designers for professional development and to make industry contacts.

Graphic designer apprenticeships - what it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

design skills and knowledge
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
knowledge of media production and communication
knowledge of English language
the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
excellent verbal communication skills
thinking and reasoning skills
the ability to work well with your hands
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Graphic designer apprenticeships - what you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

Depending on your role, your day-to-day tasks may include:

discussing the client's requirements and coming up with creative ideas
working out budgets and deadlines
producing rough drafts and presenting your ideas
preparing designs using specialist software
making presentations to clients for feedback and approval
producing a final layout
explaining requirements to photographers, printers, manufacturers or games developers
keeping up with design trends and developments in software tools

Working environment

You could work in a creative studio, in an office or at a client's business.

Career path and progression - Graphic designer apprenticeships

You could become a senior designer, creative director or move into management. You could go freelance or start your own design agency. Another option is to move into teaching or lecturing.

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Considering an Apprenticeship?

There are lots of benefits to apprenticeships, here are our top 5:

Paid Training
Not only will your organisation (or the Government) pay for all of your training, but you’ll be paid to do it. That means you could actually get paid to get your degree and have no debt!
Range of career opportunities
There are over 625 different apprenticeships to choose from, in a range of industries. Whether you’re interested in law, marketing, construction or engineering, you’ll find something up your street!
Earn & learn
As an apprentice, the minimum you’ll earn is £6.20 an hour, but we’ve seen apprentices earn a starting salary of up to £30,000 a year! You could also get other employee benefits like gym memberships, paid holiday and sick pay.
Great career prospects
Employers think apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications. In fact, many large employers train their graduates and apprentices together!
Learn on the job
There’s only so much you can learn when you just do a qualification. As an apprentice, you’ll also get to learn on the job - whether that’s designing amazing graphics, chopping vegetables or building engines!

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